i didn't know they were still open. The CompUSA's here in Atlanta closed back in May. Too bad, too: while Best Buy and Wal-Mart are okay for some things, like pre-built computer systems, printers, and some parts like networking cards, they're not on CompUSA's level. I could go to CompUSA and buy all the stuff those big box stores have and more. They had a wider selection of different types of networking equipment, things not stocked by Best Buy or Wal-mart because they're not household names. I could buy parts to build my own computers at CompUSA, which can't be done at the big boxes. Most importantly of all, Best Buy's Geek Squad notwithstanding, the staff at CompUSA was trained specifically to work on IT technology. With Best Buy, most of the time the staff simply stocks the stuff, and even the so-called "experts" don't impress me often. It's gotten somewhat better with the Geek Squad, but again, when a store isn't a computer specialty store, something suffers. Even with their de dicated computer store, you're still having to fight the resources of the staff being split among all kinds of customers. And go past pure IT for a moment and look at things like TVs or iPods, and the big box staff is incredibly clueless. Nine times out of ten, the research i do on my own sees me in the store knowing way more about flatscreen TVs, MP3 players, etc., than the supposedly knowledgeable staff trying to sell the stuff to me.
I use Best Buy for price comparisons, and will buy there if i find something like a network card or printer that's cheaper than the competition. But i do my own research, and i don't use their staff for much. Wal-Mart is right out in that arena. So now for really good computer shopping, i have to focus on specialty mom-and-pop stores, smaller chains lke Micro Center, or do my shopping on the Net. -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- CompUSA, the computer retailer that Mexican > billionaire Carlos Slim owned since 2000, will shut its doors after 23 > years, succumbing to competition from Best Buy Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. > > Restructuring firm Gordon Brothers Group LLC bought the chain for an > undisclosed sum and will sell or close its 103 stores after the U.S. > holidays, CompUSA said yesterday. The 67- year-old Slim, Latin America's > richest man, failed to turn around CompUSA after investing more than > $1.5 billion in the chain over eight years. > > ``An orderly and expedited wind-down and asset sale process is the best > option for CompUSA and its creditors at this juncture,'' Bill Weinstein, > a principal at Gordon Brothers, said in a statement. Weinstein will > serve as interim president of CompUSA. > > Founded in 1984, CompUSA focuses on computer-related products for small > companies and individuals. The chain, acquired by Slim in 2000, shut > more than half of its stores earlier this year. > > CompUSA was a unit of Slim's U.S. Commercial Corp. SA, which had sales > last year of 37.8 billion pesos ($3.5 billion). > > Richfield, Minnesota-based Best Buy, the biggest U.S. consumer > electronics retailer, had revenue of $35.9 billion last year. No. 2 > Circuit City Stores Inc. had sales of $12.4 billion. > > Boston-based Gordon Brothers' DJM unit helped Discovery Channel Stores, > Bombay Co. and Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. sell properties. It plans to sell > CompUSA's TechPro technical services division and CompUSA.com as well. > > CompUSA will discount items this month to get rid of inventory, Alex > Stanton, spokesman for Gordon Brothers, said in an interview. He > declined to comment further. > > Arturo Elias, a spokesman for Slim, didn't return a call seeking comment. > > 23-Year History > > CompUSA was founded as Soft Warehouse in Dallas in 1984 by Mike > Henochowicz and Errol Jacobson. The chain opened its first retail store > in 1985 and the company changed its name to CompUSA in 1991. > > In 2000, Slim's Grupo Sanborns SA agreed to purchase the company for > $797.7 million after holding a 14 percent stake since 1999. Slim > invested at least $700 million more in recent years to shore up the > retailer's finances. > > Slim is honorary chairman of Telefonos de Mexico SAB, which runs 90 > percent of Mexico's 20 million telephone land lines. In 2003, he tried > and failed to buy Richmond, Virginia-based Circuit City for $1.5 billion. > > Slim hired Credit Suisse Group last year to put CompUSA up for sale. > Earlier this year, he said he would sell the chain ``if anyone will buy > it.'' > > ``We made a mistake with management,'' Slim said at a news conference in > Mexico City in March. > > Law firms Cooley Godward Kronish LLP and Kelley Drye & Warren LLP were > hired to represent creditors and landlords, CompUSA said. > > To contact the reporter on this story: Joseph Galante in New York at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] . > Last Updated: December 8, 2007 00:24 EST > http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aomuLvfkNzTY&refer=home > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
